Laying Minefields

More about Minefields

More about Combat

Only a ship with a mine layer can lay minefields. Mine layers are described in the Mine Layers section of the Technology Browser. You'll need to research Energy and Biotechnology for mines that explode, and Propulsion and Biology for those sticky Speed Trap mines. Once you've gained the technology, use the ship designer to add mine layers to a ship hull. Build the ship and you're ready to go.

To lay a minefield:

1.        Select the fleet, bringing it into the Command pane.

2.        Click in the Scanner, selecting the target planet or point in space as the waypoint.

3.        If necessary, click in the Warp Factor gauge in the Fleet Waypoints tile, and adjust the warp speed.

4.        In the Waypoint Task tile, click on the dropdown and select Lay Mine Fields.

5.        Specify the number of years to lay mines.

The Waypoint task tile notes how many mines that fleet can lay per year. Stars! supports laying up to 1,000,000 mines in a field, at a rate of more than 32,000 mine a year.

Minefield Coverage

Use the Scanner's Mine Fields overlay to show the area of space covered by the field. Click on the field to display the mine type, field size and decay rate in the Selection Summary pane.

Minefield Decay

Minefields decay at a rate of 2% a year for most races. If you belong to the Space Demolition Race, your mine fields will decay at a rate of 1% a year. In either case, you should plan to replenish the fields as needed. (If enemy or neutral ships thin them out, you'll need to rebuild as well.)  Mine fields decay an additional 4% a year for each planet they contain. The maximum decay rate for a mine field is 50%.

Learn how to:

Design Ships

Select an Object to Command

Add a Waypoint and Waypoint Task